For many companies, understanding how to start dropshipping on Shopify is the first step toward mastering dropshipping. To reduce the chances of failure, it is critical to do things right from the start. We'll go over the easiest approach to set up your Shopify site and some pointers on how to make your first sale.
WHAT EXACTLY IS THE SHOPIFY PLATFORM?
Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that allows users to create and manage their own dropship website.
With an estimated 30% of eCommerce sites in America utilizing the platform, the firm has grown to become one of the leading eCommerce platforms.
The reduced learning curve for getting started is one of the key advantages. When compared to eCommerce platforms such as WooCommerce, less technically aware users may get up and running faster. A fundamental grasp of design, user experience, sales copywriting, and conversion optimization is still required.
WHAT DOES SHOPIFY COST?
Because Shopify is a premium eCommerce platform, there is no free alternative. However, you may sample the platform for free for 14 days to see whether it's appropriate for you.
Once you've decided to utilize Shopify, you may pick between three distinct plans. Most novice users will be happy with the basic Shopify subscription, which includes limitless products among other things.
It should be noted that many of the integrations, such as Oberlo, would incur additional costs. Because these connectors make running a dropshipping business easier, they should be reflected into the cost of utilizing Shopify.
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO I REQUIRE TO USE SHOPIFY?
While the skill barrier for Shopify is lower than for systems like as WordPress, you still need a few basic abilities to get started. Fortunately, each of them is simple to master and improve on as you go.
EXTREMELY BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF WEB DESIGN AND USER EXPERIENCE
The multiple layouts and easy-to-use builder are two of Shopify's key advantages for individuals with no web design experience.
Builders, on the other hand, are not the be-all and end-all option for building the perfect website. If you want a working website, you must have a basic grasp of web design and user experience (UX).
Site builders make it easy to design your website without knowing HTML, CSS, or, in some cases, Javascript. However, you will need a basic grasp of layout, color theory, picture and text scaling, and so forth.
Fortunately, there are several resources available to assist with this. It is strongly advised that you take the time to create a proper shop. The best way to go is to simply begin. If you are having problems, take a moment to study up on the philosophy behind that area of design and UX.
COMPREHENDING COPYWRITING
Don't be one of the many website owners who are preoccupied with having a beautiful website but having nothing to say. What will sell your items is optimized copy.
Great sales-focused copywriting necessitates extensive research into who you are selling to, their issues, and how what you are offering can address those problems. During your copywriting research, you will frequently hear:
Sell solutions rather than features.
Selling a television is one example of this in action. While you could discuss the pixel number and refresh rate, most people will be perplexed.
Instead, you'd discuss how the television will not lag for video game gamers. For moviegoers, there will be a more exact image with greater color so they can notice more details.
As with web design, there are several resources available to help you get started. The Cult of Copy Facebook Group is a wonderful resource I've discovered. If you do join, make sure to take use of the numerous useful resources.
E-MAIL MARKETING KNOWLEDGE
When it comes to sales, client retention is frequently less expensive and easier than customer acquisition. According to SEMrush, the likelihood of selling to an existing client is 60 to 70 percent.
Selling to someone who has already purchased from you and trusts you is less difficult than acquiring a new consumer. The question then arises, "How do you do this?"
Email marketing is the most effective approach for eCommerce shops to retain consumers. When someone makes a purchase from you, their email address is added to your mailing list. You may then utilize this information to promote to them later on through promotions, holiday discounts, and so on.
HOW TO GET STARTED WITH DROPSHIPPING ON SHOPIFY
Once you've mastered the necessary abilities, it's time to learn how to start dropshipping on Shopify. Let's go through the steps one by one:
DETERMINE THE NICHE IN WHICH YOU WISH TO OPERATE.
Before you even begin creating your Shopify store, you must decide what you will sell. This generally entails deciding on a certain specialization to focus on. It is advised that you use this approach rather than a general shop.
Finding a niche to dropship helps you to concentrate your marketing and advertising efforts on a certain demographic. This simplifies branding, site copywriting, and product selection.
There are several approaches to determining a niche in which to operate. However, whichever niche you select should have long-term profit potential due to a large number of items and great demand.
FIND RELIABLE SUPPLIERS FROM WHOM TO SOURCE PRODUCTS
Once you've identified a market niche, you'll need to identify product providers. Many new dropshippers start by going straight to marketplaces like AliExpress, Banggood, and Alibaba.
Finding high-quality manufacturers in the nation where you want to ship your items is a better alternative. This isn't always attainable, but the closer you can get to it, the better. This will result in higher product quality and shorter shipment times.
These advantages will increase client satisfaction with your items and maybe lead to more repeat purchases. The following are some of the top venues for locating these sorts of suppliers:
US Direct
Modalyst
Spocket
Thomas Net
Maker's Row
SUBSCRIBE TO SHOPIFY
You'll need to set up your Shopify store once you've found the proper niche and have a list of suppliers to work with. The first step is to register for a free trial. Navigate to Shopify and click the "Start Free Trial" button in the upper right corner:
A simple sign-up form will appear, which you must fill out to get started. You must provide your email address, establish a password, and choose a domain name for your store. Don't be concerned about the domain because you'll want to use a custom domain that you'll set up later.
Following that, you'll need to answer a few easy questions about your Shopify dropshipping business as well as details about what you're selling. You will also enter payment details here.
Following that, you must begin the real setup of your store.
ESTABLISH YOUR SHOPIFY STORE
The first step is to walk through the checklist on the top page of your Shopify dashboard.
I propose that you begin by adding your domain. If you haven't already done so, you may consult this handy guide on selecting the correct domain. If you're feeling daring and want to get a competitive advantage, consider acquiring an expired domain for your shop.
Navigate to the Add Domain area and then follow the steps on the following page.
Finally, before you begin working on your front-end store, configure your shipping. Make sure you've included all of the countries you intend to ship to so there are no surprises.
After you've completed all of the prerequisites, you can begin customizing your theme with your Shopify dropshipping store branding. Make certain that you employ a professional logo, color scheme, and photos. Wherever possible, avoid using overused stock pictures.
If you must use stock photographs, I recommend paying for a service like Adobe Stock, which has more selections that are less popular than sites like Pixabay.
MAKE ALL REQUIRED PAGES
The next step is to ensure that all of the necessary pages are in place. Typically, an eCommerce shop will include:
Home Page, Store Page, and Contact Page
Terms of Service About Page
Privacy Statement
Policy on Cookies
You should also consider creating a blog or resource area to provide more value to your readers. This will also benefit your SEO efforts because providing high-quality, user-focused content will provide more opportunity to rank on search engines.
To create the pages, go to the left sidebar and click the "Online Store" button. This grants you access to all aspects of your shop.
Then, under the pages area, you can view all of the current pages you have listed.
This is where your Contact and About pages will go. Don't worry about your dropshipping store page; it will be built automatically when you add items.
You must configure the various policies in your store's Settings section. In the left sidebar, click the Settings button, then scroll down to the final item on the menu labeled Policies.
You have two choices for policies: create your own or use one of Shopify's templates.
I strongly advise you to get an attorney to establish a privacy policy and terms of service for you, or to utilize a service like Termageddon or Iubenda.
If you sell to individuals in European Union nations, don't forget about GDPR compliance.
ADD PRODUCTS AND CREATE A NEW PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
You now want to include all of the goods you discovered throughout your preliminary investigation. If you still need to locate items, I recommend using one of the Shopify applications. These will cost you more money, but they will make your life easier in the long run.
Later in this essay, I'll discuss which applications are the finest. Go to the main applications page and narrow your search for dropshipping apps to arrive to the dropshipping apps area.
ESTABLISH A PAID PLAN
You only receive a 14-day free trial when you sign up, so you should choose your premium plan right away. You can probably get away with the basic strategy for new stores. It is advised that you upgrade to a higher plan only after your dropshipping business is generating steady money and you are ready to recruit more personnel.
All options include the core features you require, such as unlimited product uploads, abandoned cart recovery, gift cards, and more.
MARKET YOUR BUSINESS
Marketing is vital for driving visitors to your website. In general, paid marketing channels, such as paid advertising and influencer marketing, will produce the quickest returns. The disadvantage is that they cease to be effective as soon as you stop paying.
Content marketing and social media marketing are less expensive but take longer to get started. It may take up to 18 months for new dropshipping business owners to get the swing of things.
PAID ADVERTISING - FACEBOOK, GOOGLE, INSTAGRAM, AND SO ON
Paid advertising is commonly associated with pay per click or pay per metric models. This is usually done through a platform like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or a similar choice.
The advantage is that you are exposing your Shopify dropshipping business to millions of prospective buyers. When you stop paying, though, traffic comes to a halt. If you don't have prior experience and want faster results, it's best to work with an ad specialist.
SEO FOR ORGANIC TRAFFIC
Non-paid advertising from search engines and social media platforms is referred to as organic traffic. People usually use tactics like search engine optimization to make their websites more accessible to search engines.
Organic traffic has the advantage of being more long-term sustainable. However, when you initially start, it will normally take longer to notice effects.
IS SHOPIFY DROPSHIPPING RIGHT FOR YOU?
If you're serious about dropshipping, Shopify might be a great place to start. You may entirely tailor the customer's experience, unlike Amazon or eBay. This also implies you may brand your items and boost your earning potential.
WooCommerce may be a better alternative for dropshipping for experienced designers searching for a more flexible solution. However, because to its ease of use, Shopify might be a good solution for people with less experience. Other advantages of using the platform include easier dropshipping product administration, strong connectors, and simple payment processing.